Four Seasons, Four Elements
by mlove08
Summary: Four stories relating to the seasons and their elements. In each, the characters have some kind of inner turmoil that they must overcome.
1. Winter

**A/N: All these stories are connected to the poem at the top, as well as the season and respective element, but not to each other. It is like four individual stories. Also, I'm sure this kind of thing has been done before, with that whole "Tales of Ba Sing Se" episode, but I wanted to try my hand at it :)**

* * *

><p><em>Water, in its ever changing nature<em>

_It is smooth and refreshing_

_But cold and hard in winter_

_Yet one cannot live without it_

_Water, with its many different forms_

_Like life, it does not stay the same_

_But still, it is part of the whole_

_Part of the beautiful element that is, water_

Sokka dipped his hands into the ocean, letting the cool water slide through his fingers. It should have felt cold to him; after all, it was winter. But he had grown up in the southern water tribe; he was used to such temperatures. The water felt good to him, slightly warmed from the sun. Sokka was no bender, but that didn't mean the elements had no effect on him.

Suddenly, he felt a thick cloth thrown around his shoulders. A soft giggle followed. He turned to see Suki, his girlfriend, her eyes full of amusement.

"Put your parka on, silly," she said. "It's freezing out here."

"It actually feels warm out today," Sokka replied, returning a smile at his girlfriend. He threw his arms around her. "But if you're cold, well, that's what I'm here for."

It had been years since that war, but in a way he was grateful for it. If it wasn't for the war, he and Suki wouldn't have met. In the years that followed they had grown together, learned more about each other, and fought side by side, yet it did not change the fact that they still fit perfectly within one another's arms.

"Aren't I lucky, having such a big, strong man as my boyfriend," Suki said, another smile creeping up on her face. Sokka cupped her chin, turning face towards his. He pressed his lips to hers gently.

"I'm going to miss you," he breathed against her soft skin.

"Sokka!" A voice called, interrupting before Suki had the chance to respond. Both turned in the direction of the voice to see Hakoda, Sokka's father, over by the river adding another parcel to the tiny canoe. "You ready?" he called, waving.

"Yeah dad, I'll be there in a sec," Sokka called back. He released Suki and picked up his own bag. He was ready to go, but he had to admit, leaving Suki was getting harder each time. She looked at him with a sad smile.

"Be safe."

"I will," Sokka straightened. The years of growth had made him taller, he now almost towered over Suki, but still somehow, she could make him fall to his knees. He grabbed her waist and kissed her passionately, his way of telling her how much he loved her. He parted from her, mourning the loss of her lips. But it was time; he and his father had a long way to go, and it wasn't advised to travel at night.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, his blue eyes looking deep into her brown ones. He could almost see himself in them. She nodded, and shivered. "I'm going inside. Bye, Hakoda!" she called and ran off, leaving a small trail of footprints behind her that the snow would eventually wipe clean.

Sokka threw on the parka Suki brought him, feeling warmed through and through. Physically it was because of the parka, but his love for Suki was so strong, he always felt warm.

His father was smiling at him when he approached. "So when are you going to marry that girl? You've been dating her for years."

"Actually dad, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Sokka stepped into the boat, joining his father and their supplies.

"Well we got a ways to go before we meet up with the other warriors," Hakoda said, pushing the boat away from the snow covered shore.

Sokka said nothing, digging through his pockets for an item. He pulled out a necklace, hand carved by himself, a betrothal necklace. Hakoda's eyes widened, his smile growing. Sokka took over steering the canoe while his father examined the necklace. It had the original water designs around it, but Sokka added flowers in just the perfect way, making the design flow together.

"Sokka…it's beautiful. The design is breathtaking. You did this yourself huh?"

"Yeah, you think she'll like it?"

"She will love it."

Most of the journey was silent, each man lost in their own thoughts. Though every once in a while, they would switch with the rowing. Sokka had the paddle this time; he rowed absentmindedly his thoughts far away from the quiet ocean. He knew they had a mission to complete. They had to meet with the rest of the tribe and take care of a few of the resistance trying to take over the water tribe. The avatar asked for them specifically, knowing they could handle it.

But as important as the mission was, Sokka couldn't keep his mind off of Suki. Her beauty, her humor, her amazing fighting skills, every part of her Sokka adored. But the thought of proposing…it made his insides squirm with nerves.

It wasn't just the asking part weighing heavily on his mind, it was how he was going to present it. He wanted his proposal to be fantastic, something she would always remember. But what could he do?

He racked his brain for ideas; after all, he was the idea guy. But this seemed so much bigger. So much more important, this was the girl he was going to spend the rest of his…

"Sokka watch out!"

The canoe hit a large iceberg, throwing them off course. The boat rattled violently, Hakoda grabbed their supplies before it could spill into the ocean. Sokka rowed quickly, trying to avoid another nearing iceberg, but it was too close. The other side of the canoe smashed into it, Sokka could see some of the wood fly into the air from the collision.

"Sokka go left!" Hakoda instructed. There was a collection of sharp icebergs up ahead, and they were heading right towards them.

Sokka steered left as hard as he could, but to no avail. The canoe crashed into the cluster, making the pedal fly from his hands. Water seeped into the canoe, beginning to sink the small boat. Sokka looked at his father helplessly.

"Try to steer!" Hakoda shouted, a determined look on his face. After all they had been through, they would not die this way. The both placed their hands in the freezing water, trying to steer the boat away from the icebergs and towards any source of land. The icebergs were too close; the manual steering did not do much good.

Sokka's eyes widened when he saw the iceberg coming up. It was too large to try to go around. Guilt consumed him in those few moments, why hadn't he been paying more attention?

The canoe crashed; the impact making Sokka fly from the boat.

"Sokka!"

That was the last thing he heard before Sokka hit the iceberg, knocking him out cold.

* * *

><p>"Sokka…."<p>

"Sokka wake up…"

The voice was faint, but still Sokka heard. Someone was calling to him, but it wasn't his father. This voice was higher, feminine. It sounded familiar…

Sokka opened his eyes, seeing first the dark night sky, blacker than it was when they had crashed. Crashed…he suddenly realized. Where was his father? Where was he? He sat up and glanced around.

He was floating on a thick piece of ice, as if it were an island that was just carrying him away somewhere. There was nothing around him. No icebergs, no boats, no people. Just this tiny patch of ice, and him. Then who was calling to him?

He glanced up at the sky, filled with brilliant beautiful stars, lighting it up. His gaze wandered over to the moon. A full moon, he realized. It made him miss his sister. If Katara were here, she would be able to help. But she wasn't here to save him this time, as she had been so many times in the past.

The moon was beautiful…so bright.

_Wait…is it supposed to be that bright?_ He wondered. He gazed longer at the moon. It was definitely bright, and getting more so. He brought a hand up to his face, shielding his eyes.

_What's going on?_

"Sokka…."

The voice said, filling the air, surrounding him.

"Look up…"

Sokka obeyed, trying to look into the brightness of the moon. After a moment a silhouette appeared, seeming to shimmer into the night, of a woman. A woman he was once loved.

"Yue," he gasped. The beautifully bright woman came down towards him, joining him on the iceberg. She was not full, she was transparent; Sokka could probably reach right through her. But he did not dare. It had been so long…he remembered the days when he would lie awake at night, missing her, feeling guilty about not protecting her. But he knew now, that this was her destiny.

She gazed at him, her eyes full of love, her full lips curved into a smile. She looked the same as when she had left him. Beautiful, pure.

"I missed you…" she said. Her voice was so soft, soothing.

"Me too."

"I don't have too much time. I just wanted to see you again," her face saddened a little. "And tell you…it's okay."

"What's okay, Yue?" Confused, Sokka reached out. He wanted to touch her hand, feel her soft skin again. But he could not. Disappointed, he put his arm back down.

"I want you to marry her. You have to let me go."

Sokka said nothing for a moment, still teeming with confusion. He thought he had let her go a long time ago. But she was right, he realized. He never had. All this time he had been delaying his marriage to Suki, convincing himself that it was because of nerves, when truthfully, it was because he still felt connected to Yue. But she was right, it was time to let her go. Suki was his world now. Sad eyes greeted Yue's.

"You will always have a place in my heart, Yue," he whispered.

"I know," she smiled. "You're heart is big and full. It's part of who you are, and what I always loved about you."

Sokka smiled too, staring at her. He didn't want to look away, fearing that one slight aversion from her would make her disappear. He wanted to say goodbye, a true goodbye. It was the closure he needed.

Yue reached out a shimmering hand, and touched his cheek. He didn't feel anything, but the motion was good enough. He could imagine the soft texture of her skin, the smallest gesture warmed his heart.

"Sleep now Sokka. And when you wake, everything will be alright again."

He wanted to cry out in protest, beg her to stay just a little longer. But he knew she could not. They each had different destinies. And his was waiting back home. Then a thought struck him.

"Wait Yue, I'm in the middle of the ocean. How can I get back?"

"Just sleep…." She repeated, already starting to fade. "Everything will be alright…"

Sokka felt his eyes beginning to water as he watched her disappear.

"Goodbye Yue."

"Goodbye Sokka…"

Her smile was the last thing he saw before she disappeared completely. Her voice traveling with the wind and fading away like the rest of her.

She was gone. And he was alone, on the piece of ice, in the dark night.

_Everything will be alright…_

He lay back against the ice, gazing at the full moon. He obeyed Yue's request, and slowly closed his eyes, seeing the moons afterimage on his brain. It was his last thought before sleep overtook him.

_Everything will be alright…_

* * *

><p>The cold was the first thing he felt. The chill from the wind hit his face, blew through his hair, his clothes. Shivering, he opened his eyes. Bright sunlight greeted him, making him squint. He tried to bring a hand up to his face, but found he couldn't. They were confined to his side; he was wrapped up in furs.<p>

But how? How was he alive, on shore, safe? He sat up quickly, pushing the furs aside, releasing himself. He glanced around, to see his father a mere couple feet away roasting fish over a fire.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," he said smiling. The smell of cooking food filled the surrounding air. Sokka's other senses kicked in, his stomach rumbled at the delicious scent.

"Dad, you're okay." He got up from the coverings and went to sit beside his father. "But what happened?"

"Well we ran into some trouble, I'm sure as you can remember. Our boat was sinking, and you were knocked out. You hit that ice pretty hard. But then the strangest thing happened."

Sokka listened intently, eyes curious.

"This current came, guiding us through the icebergs. It was as if someone were steering the boat," Hakoda said, his voice filled with fascination.

_Yue._

"The current led us right to another boat out at sea, someone from our tribe. He took us to shore."

Sokka stayed silent for a moment, then smiled. "Wow," was all he managed.

"You're telling me," Hakoda agreed. "The others left to gather some supplies, but they will be back. I wanted to stay in case you woke up."

"What about the mission?"

"We will carry out the mission at dawn, as scheduled. But for now, are you hungry? This fish looks just about done."

Sokka clutched his rumbling stomach. "Always," he said eagerly.

The men were greeted back at the water tribe with open arms a couple weeks later. They returned in the evening, a few with some scratches and bruises, but nothing that couldn't be patched up. They returned to their wives and children, each embracing their families warmly.

Sokka saw Suki instantly, her beauty standing out from everyone else. He walked briskly to her, dropping his bag at his feet and sweeping her up in a hug. No words were needed. It was clear that they had missed each other.

"Take a walk with me," Sokka said softly into Suki's ear. She smiled and nodded. They walked off together, leaving his bag on the ground unnoticed.

They walked along a secluded snowy path, talking and catching up. She shared stories about missions she had done with the other Kyoshi warriors, interesting things that had happened around the South Pole. He shared stories about the mission, intentionally leaving out the part where they almost didn't make it. He did not want to spoil the happiness.

After a while, the cold seemed nonexistent to them, neither did the time. They stayed out walking along the South Pole until they could see their previous tracks again. It gradually became darker, until the moon showed its brilliant face, and the stars shone through.

"Wow, the moon looks beautiful tonight," Suki observed. Sokka glanced up; a full moon. He smiled, it was time. He looked back at his love, her cheeks reddened from the cold. He stared at her huge loving eyes…

"What is it, Sokka?" she asked, concerned at his quiet. She knew her boyfriend to hardly ever be silent.

"I have to ask you something."

The concern in her face grew, until she saw him bend down on one knee, and pull something out of his pocket. Her eyes widened, she brought her hands up to her face, trying to conceal her gasp.

"Suki…" Sokka took a deep breath, and held up the necklace. "Will you marry me?"

Suki did not even pause to think. "Of course Sokka!" she shouted, throwing her arms around him, knocking him backwards into the snow. Laughing together, he gently placed the necklace on her. It was a perfect fit.

"Oh Sokka…its beautiful…"

Sokka just smiled at his new fiancée, his eyes glancing up towards the moon. It was full, Yue was there, he could almost see her smile.

He kissed Suki then, deeply, lovingly, under the bright light of the moon. There was nothing to worry about now. He knew they would be alright.

Everything would be alright.


	2. Spring

_Earth_

_Rigid and Hard_

_Solid and Sturdy_

_The element that supports the weight of thousands of beings._

_And yet, despite its hard demeanor, it's soft and gentle_

_For it is earth that brings us life_

_And it is spring that brings us new beginnings._

Spring; it was a season that many enjoyed. The sun shines brilliantly, brightly over grass that is green and full, over flowers that are blooming. It truly is a beautiful time of the year, refreshing and new. Toph, however, never saw spring this way. Being born blind had prevented her from seeing anything, any of the joys that came with spring. But that didn't mean she couldn't feel it.

In her own way, she loved spring as well. She felt the warmth from the sun on her, breathed deeply the cool, crisp air. She could smell all the new plants wet from the newly fallen rain. She could hear all the life buzzing around her, and could feel them moving with the use of her earthbending. It was an extension of her senses and a way to help her see.

It was her earthbending that helped her move through the city of Gaoling, her hometown. If she could not feel the vibrations in the earth, she would not be able to move as easily as she did. But now, after having used this skill for so long, walking, fighting, anything was as easy to her now as breathing.

She exited the city, walking along the outskirts. It was a more secluded location, and since the city is located in the mountains, it was an almost dangerous one. But Toph knew she was a powerful earthbender, and she felt no fear, not even the slightest worry.

She had no intentions; there was no where she wanted to go. She just felt the need to get out, get into the open air. Why was it always such a chore to visit her parents? The war was over now; had been for quite some time. They had seen her bend, they had heard all the stories about how great she was, and still they found her weak…helpless. It was infuriating.

She knew they were her parents, they loved her, but she couldn't believe that they still didn't think she could take care of herself. She argued, she told them everything that happened during the war, everything that she could do. Yes there were some close calls, but she lived, and helped restore peace to the nation. She had explained this only moments ago, and they wanted to hear none of it. She stormed out of the palace in a rage, trembling the earth as she went. But now, after having some time to cool off, she was calm, and the only thing she was using earthbending for now, was to see. And she saw something.

She felt the earth moving, and a rapid heartbeat. Was someone in trouble? She raced toward the source, the vibrations hitting her harder, and a scream piercing through the air, confirming her thoughts. Someone did need help.

"Is someone there?" she called, trying to get an exact location.

"Help!" the voice was male, sounded young, but strained from pain. "Please!"

She followed her feet, and landed in the location feeling earth trapping a young man. He was pretty deep in the earth, and badly wounded. She could smell the blood.

"What happened?" she asked, raising her arms, ready to move the earth off of him.

"Hurry, go get someone who can help!" the man said.

Toph lowered her arms slightly. "…what? Someone _is_ here to help you, I can get you out."

"Please lady," the man gasped. "Just go find someone strong, who can earthbend! The rocks are too heavy to lift!"

Toph hesitated, arms at her side now. This man was in trouble, almost dying, and yet he still didn't want the help that she could give. She had left the palace to escape from this kind of treatment, just to fall right back into it. She considered leaving him; after all, he did want someone stronger to save him. But this thought only lasted for a moment, no longer. After being involved in the war, she could never leave a person behind, no matter how rude they were. She turned back towards him and raised her arms in a familiar pattern, and motion, moving the rocks off of him with ease and throwing them back over the mountain where they once were.

She was surprised that the man had not said anything else, but then realized he had passed out. Toph could feel him lying motionless on the ground, yet the pulse was still clear. He was not dead; for now. But the smell of blood seemed to surround the air, thickening it. He must be hurt worse than she thought. She had to hurry and get him help. Using the patch of earth that he laid on, she lifted him up and started the path back to the palace.

* * *

><p>A young man woke to darkness, and it took him a moment to realize that he simply had not opened his eyes yet. When he did, the world was brighter than he expected. He squinted in reaction to the light. As his vision cleared, he found himself in a white room, with large windows on the other side, opened to allow sunlight to creep in. He was lying on white, comfortable sheets and his whole body, he discovered, was bandaged. He suddenly noticed a woman near the opposite end of the room filling a glass with water. She appeared to be a nurse, and she walked over with the glass and a warm smile, making him believe his assumption to be correct.<p>

"How are you feeling?" she asked gently, handing him the glass. The water was cool and refreshing; the man didn't realize how much his throat had been burning until the water touched it.

"I'm okay." When he spoke, his voice was raspy; he cleared his throat and drank more water before trying again. "Where am I?" he asked the woman.

"You are in the hospital wing of the Bei Fong palace," the woman said simply, taking his glass and refilling it with water.

_A palace? Bei Fong? Why does that name sound familiar? _

He racked his brain, not just trying to figure out the familiarity of the name but also how he ended up here, how he got so wounded. And then it came back to him, his fall, the rock crushing his body, and the woman…it was fuzzy.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked the nurse, who placed gave the newly refilled glass back to him.

"Sure," she said, and then looked at him curiously. "You don't remember anything?"

"Not really…it's not that clear…" he furrowed his brows, trying to remember, but nothing would come. She he looked at the woman, waiting for her to speak.

"That's understandable; you were knocked out cold when Toph brought you here a few days ago."

"Toph?"

"Yes, she said she found you trapped underneath many great rocks. So she used earthbending to get you out and bring you here."

The realization slowly dawned on him. _That_ was who had saved him? Toph Bei Fong? It was amazing how many in the earth kingdom thought the Bei Fong family to be childless. But over the years, this was greatly proved wrong. He had heard all kinds of stories about Toph, how she was a powerful earthbender, even capable of bending metal. He heard the stories about her helping to take down numerous fire nation air ships.

And the things he said to her…he had no idea that it was her. He suddenly felt incredibly guilty, and foolish. He doubted one of the most powerful earthbenders in the world. But she didn't appear to be! How is it that he had only heard stories and never seen a picture, never heard a physical description. All this time, he imagined someone strong, not a woman who looked delicate, almost his own age. So absorbed in his guilt, he was slightly startled when the nurse spoke again.

"Well hope that helps."

The man regained composure, and smiled at her. "It does, thank you."

She bowed and turned to leave the room.

"Wait!" the man called, stopping her. She turned and faced him once more, with a polite, "Yes?"

"Where can I find Toph?" He had to apologize, to thank her. But this plan vanished when he saw the woman's face change.

"I'm sorry but I'm not sure if she's still here. She's leaving to go on a mission with the avatar."

The man looked down at his white sheets. "Okay, thank you," he murmured. He knew he should just give up, but there was just something about this girl. He wanted to see her…not just because she was "famous" but for another reason that he just couldn't quite place. With pain shooting through him, and his body greatly resisting, he slowly moved, trying to get himself out of bed.

* * *

><p>Toph rummaged through the wreck that was her room. It wasn't until she lost things that she felt truly blind. Unlike people, her possessions didn't have a pulse, and sometimes it was almost impossible for her to locate them. She dug through her things, looking for her bracelet. It was one of the few things that she treasured most; not just because it was made from a meteorite, but also because someone she cared about gave it to her.<p>

After what felt like an eternity, she felt the material that could only belong to that of her bracelet, and sighed with relief. Now, having everything she needed, she grabbed her bag and left the room, intending to go outside and wait for her friends. They had a mission to complete, and they graciously offered to pick her up.

She wandered through the halls, using her earthbending to sense any other form of life around her. She felt nothing until she made it outside, the vibrations of the animals that made their homes out there greeting her. She inhaled deeply; she couldn't see, but she could feel that it was a beautiful day.

Suddenly a sound interrupted it. It sounded as if a large stick was colliding with the ground, muffled slightly when it hit the grass. But that didn't stop her from hearing it, and the ragged breathing of the person supporting it. Someone must be using that stick to get around, and that someone was coming closer to her.

"Toph!"

The familiar voice of the person told her who it was. This was the man she rescued, and she couldn't help wondering why he was still here, and more so, why was he calling her? Blowing her bangs out of her face, her normal quirk, she halted, and could feel him approaching her.

"I'm glad I caught you," the man said, in a breathy voice. "The nurse said you might have already left."

"Yeah, here I am," Toph said with a slight shrug. "What do you want?" she asked in a blunt tone. The past couple days did not make her forget his initial rudeness.

As if reading her thoughts, the man said, "Well…I wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for you."

Toph frowned, remembering his words from that day. "From what I recall, you didn't want my help."

Toph couldn't see the man's expression, but she could feel the slight increase in his heart beat. He felt guilty, and she knew it. It softened her, but only slightly. Judging from her appearance on the outside, he never would have guessed.

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't realize who you were."

"What made you come to your senses?" she asked, folding her arms.

"A nurse told me. I couldn't believe it when I heard the amazing Toph Bei Fong saved my life!"

Toph smiled and raised an eyebrow. Amazing huh?

"Anyway, I just wanted to apologize…and to say thanks."

"No problem," she said more hesitantly than she intended. "So you seem to be moving around okay." She observed, changing the subject.

The man initially nodded, then noticing her eyes, spoke. "Yes. The injuries were not too bad."

"Why were you out there anyway?" Toph asked. Not too many people wandered to the outskirts of the earth kingdom, knowing the ground was so unsteady.

Instead of answering her, the man said something else, almost startling Toph with the suddenness of his voice.

"Look!"

She could feel him moving away now, using the stick almost clumsily. In a moment, he returned, with from what Toph guessed, something in his hand. "I mean, I know your blind, but this was what I was looking for on the day I fell."

He placed something in her hand. At first, all she could feel was the soft earth, but as her other hand explored, the felt the stem and the petals. It was a very rare flower, one that helps to cure diseases. Her parents, being rich, always had them growing around here. But anywhere else, it was nearly impossible to find.

"I saw a few of them over by where I was," the man continued. "But I couldn't reach it and I slipped. I wanted them for my father; he's…he's very ill."

Toph continued to touch the flower, almost mesmerized by the softness of it.

"I guess, now you've saved both my life and his. There's no way I can thank you enough."

She felt his hand cover hers, his fingers mixing with the earth just as hers did. She could feel the increase of his heart, and she hoped he couldn't feel hers increasing with his. _What was happening?_

"I love spring," he murmured. "Softens the earth just enough to create such beauty."

Toph stayed silent, and looked up, almost _wanting_ to see him, yet still, somehow, she could feel him moving closer, the beating of his heart getting louder…

The sound of Appa's roar broke the two apart, and with a loud thud, he landed on the ground in front of them, her friends staring from up in the saddle. Toph backed up instantly.

"I gotta go," she said quickly, giving the flower back to the mysterious man and making a motion to leave. But then she stopped, the question burning in her. She turned back around towards him and asked, "What's your name?"

"Chang," he responded. Toph could hear the smile in his voice.

And with that, she turned and joined her friends on Appa. He waved as the bison soared into the sky, as that amazing woman disappeared. Yes, he always liked spring, he thought to himself, as he clutched the flower in his hand; full of all kinds of beginnings. He was not worried; he knew he would see her again. He just had a feeling.


	3. Summer

_Fire_

_Dangerous, wild_

_Once started, hard to stop_

_Heat does things to us, tempers flare_

_But fire is energy_

_It is strength_

_And it is in us all_

The tiny flame sat in the wick of the candle, bobbing, flickering with the slightest wind, but never extinguishing. Zuko wouldn't allow it; for with the slightest touch of his fingers, he could relight it. Zuko stared at the flame, the only source of light in the dim room, as he lay on the red, satin sheets. He was exhausted; it had been a long week, yet he couldn't fall asleep.

He thought it could be the ship that he was currently traveling on. It swayed uncomfortably against the pushing waves. Yet, he recalled a time when he had spent years of his life traveling on a ship, looking for the avatar who was now his friend. Surely that could not be the reason. Then he thought it could be the anticipation of his destination. But he had traveled to the Earth Kingdom many times, and visited his Uncle Iroh more times than he could count. No, it couldn't be that.

He rolled over, taking his eyes away from the tiny flame and turning them instead to the empty pillow that lay beside him. Being Firelord, he was constantly traveling from place to place; completing missions, speaking with other rulers…it seemed like a lifetime ago that he felt the warm body of Mai next to him. He only had time to say hello and goodbye, and he was off again, on another mission. But she understood, and it was her suggestion that he visit his uncle while he was there. It had been, after all, two years. He missed her greatly, but it would be good to see his uncle, to make a visit that should have been made years ago.

* * *

><p>Iroh wiped the bead of sweat that formed on his brow with the back of his hand. It was turning out to be an awfully warm summer, much to his dismay. He ran a tea shop, and it was hard to serve tea during such warm weather. But he pushed through. He managed to find some ice, and instead of serving it warm, served it cold. It was slow at first, but customers still came. It was a pleasant business, and that was just how Iroh liked it. Especially after the horrid past that he had. He picked up a tray that contained three glasses of cold tea and walked to the front of his humble shop. His customers, a father and two daughters, smiled as he approached, and he warmly returned it.<p>

"One green for the sir, and two jasmines for the lovely young ladies," he said setting down the tea.

"Thank you very much," the father said, accepting the tea.

Iroh felt his warm smile return. "Why, it is my…"

"Iroh!"

Iroh turned quickly to the sound of someone bursting into his shop, and the voice that addressed him. Iroh frowned at the unrecognizable man, silently wondering why someone with such rage would enter his shop.

"Can I help you?" he asked calmly. He was, after all, a wise older man. He had faced things much more dangerous, and over time, had learned to always keep his cool.

"No!" the man growled, his voice low and dangerous, his eyes flashing with rage. "My brother is dead because of you!"

Iroh's frown deepened. He had not killed a man in years, not since from when he was a general. These days, there was no need to kill, now that the war was over and he was running a successful business.

"Surely, I do not know what you talking about," Iroh said, still keeping his voice complacent. "But I'm going to have to ask you to leave my shop, you are disturbing my customers."

The vengeful visitor glanced around the tiny shop, at the tables that a few people occupied. They were all looking at him, some with curiosity, and some with fear. But he felt no compassion for these people. Instead of obeying Iroh, he stepped further into the shop, moving his hateful eyes back to his enemy. He kept his gaze locked on Iroh as he approached him, and within seconds, was only inches away from his face.

"I will not leave!" he said angrily, almost shouting in the older man's face. "Not until I redeem my brother's death. Not until I kill you, General Iroh."

Iroh spoke calmly still, but his voice became increasingly dangerous. "I have not been called by that title in many years. Son, you must be confused. Now _leave_."

"Sorry old man, but that's not going to happen." With that, he lunged, fist ready and heading towards Iroh with sudden speed. But Iroh was quicker. He dodged at the exact moment, ducking, moving the tables aside for more room.

"Everyone, leave now!" he shouted to the customers, knowing the man would not back down. From the corner of his eye, he could see the various people rushing from the tables and moving towards the entrance.

The man lunged at Iroh again, but Iroh ducked with ease, refusing to lay a hand on him until the innocent people had evacuated. When he saw the final person leave the shop, he turned to his attacker, eyes dangerous.

"Sir, you have crossed the line. I will not tolerate violence and disruption in my shop."

The man glared fiercely at him, and kicked a nearby table, breaking it in two. The teas that rested on top crashed to the ground, the liquid spilling, the cups shattering. The man showed no remorse, he had no sympathy for the destruction he was causing. Death remained in his eyes; it was what he was seeking. Bringing two fingers above him, he waved them in a circle, creating a ring of fire, and brought it dangerously close to Iroh, whose frown deepened at the sight.

"You're a bender," Iroh stated simply.

"There are many things you do not know about me," the man replied, shooting a ball of fire right towards Iroh's face.

Iroh deflected the ball easily, he had had too many thrown his way in his lifetime, and shot one of his own. The man moved out of the way, the flame hit the wall, igniting the picture that lay upon it. The man smirked and ran towards Iroh, fist ready once again. The two danced through the fight, one throwing the other dodging.

"We should really talk about this!" Iroh said avoiding another one of the man's fire balls. "I am certain you have the wrong man!"

"And I am certain you were the one who killed my brother," the man said, his fist finally making contact with Iroh's face. Iroh spiraled, hitting the wall, and before getting the chance to gain composure, the man had his hands around Iroh's throat. He smiled at the situation, his brother's murderer, finally at his own hands. He would get to redeem him. He watched the older man struggle underneath his grasp, but did not dare release him. He raised one hand, creating fire with his moving fingers, and smiled even deeper with satisfaction as he brought it nearer to Iroh…

"Stop!"

The man was jerked by the collar of his shirt and thrown backwards against the opposite wall. As his vision gradually cleared, he could see the one who had attacked him, who had _stopped_ him. It was none other than the Firelord himself, who was now helping the gasping Iroh to his feet. Zuko then rounded on him, and he stood himself up quickly, to be ready to face him.

"What do you think you're doing to my uncle?" Zuko roared, approaching the man with rage thick in his voice.

"Getting revenge," the man snarled.

"What has he ever done to you?"

"He killed my only brother. And now, it looks as if I will have to kill two men."

"Think again," Zuko replied ferociously, fire daggers appearing in his hands. He lunged at the man, and the two fought, moving through the shop. Dodging Zuko's last punch, he moved his hands with skill, forming a fire whip in his hands. He cracked the whip, wrapping it around Zuko's ankle and bringing him down to the hard wood floor.

Zuko used this temporary fall to his advantage. He spun, kicking fire balls at his opponent while bringing himself up on his feet once again. The man dodged the fire flying towards him, moving all different directions, unable to see Zuko's foot approaching him. The man fell to the floor from Zuko's kick, gasping from the wind being knocked out of him.

He lay on the floor, unmoving for a moment, and Zuko waited breathing heavily. But the man was not done yet. He hopped up and lunged at Zuko, fire in his eyes, fire within his very soul. The man looked mad, almost wild. His hair was flailing, his eyes flashing gold and dangerous, his teeth snarled. It shocked Zuko, but he made no motion to back down. He couldn't. But Iroh wanted this to be over.

"Enough of this!" he shouted, grabbing some of the spilled tea from the floor in his palms. He slipped it into his mouth, and seconds later, before the man could grasp what was happening, a large burst of fire flew at him from Iroh's mouth, hitting him square in the chest and knocking him outside onto the pavement. He grunted from the impact and clutched at his newly burned chest. He tried to get himself up, to continue the fight but his burn prevented him. Instead he thrashed about on the street, groaning from a mixture of the pain and failure. Iroh ran outside then, Zuko at his heels, and both men were greeted by the police of the large city. At the sight of Zuko all of them instantly bowed before speaking.

"What happened here? We got a notice," one of them said, eyeing the thrashing man on the ground.

"This man savagely attacked me, my nephew, and destroyed my shop," Iroh said immediately, pointing towards the man who had gotten up and began to run. The police moved with practiced speed, shooting their rock gloves at him and getting a direct hit around his hands. The man fell into the dirt, screaming with rage at his capture.

"You dare attack the Firelord?" one of the policemen asked, walking up to him with a face of disgust. "You've got a lot of trouble in your hands." He waved his hand, and the men started to drag him away, but Iroh spoke up.

"Wait," he said, walking calmly towards the angry man. He growled in his face as Iroh neared him, angry at not just him now, but at the imprisonment that awaited him.

"I am sorry we could not talk things out. But let me just say, if I did kill your brother, I apologize. I was…a different man years ago, and I have done many things that I am not proud of. But people can change. I know I did. I believe in second chances…and I believe you can too."

Iroh stood then, and turned as the man was dragged away. The man said nothing, made no further attempt to attack the former General Iroh. But the fire still stirred in his belly, like an ache. Even if it was years ago, his brother was still dead…because of him.

Iroh walked to Zuko, who was wiping his face with his hands. But sweat or no, he was his nephew, and the older man embraced the younger one in a hug.

"Thank you for coming," he said, finally releasing him.

"Sorry I wasn't here sooner. Who was that man?"

"I have no idea." Iroh shook his head, dismissing the idea, then gave his nephew a warm smile. "Come, we'll have some tea."

The two men turned to the shop, which now lay in ruin. Patches were seen all through the walls, fire still lingered on some parts of the furniture, the ground. Tea cups, kettles, plates were shattered all over the floor, covering it, littering it. Zuko stared at the shop with remorse. If only he had controlled his temper a little better…

"Uncle, I promise to have this repaired as soon as possible," Zuko said immediately.

Iroh said nothing; he walked into his shop and rummaged through the mess until he found an unbroken tea kettle. He heated up the water, and returned with two cups of tea as if nothing wrong had happened only moments ago. A table was still intact, and he sat. Zuko watched him, impressed with how well his uncle was dealing with this. He showed no signs of anger, or distress. He was simply a man who wanted some tea.

"I obviously still need to learn from you," Zuko observed. "How do you always manage to stay so calm?" he questioned, joining him at the table and taking one of the cups. He brought it to his lips; delicious, as always.

Iroh chuckled. "It depends on how you see things. I see this as an opportunity to rebuild, redecorate, make my shop better than it has been before. Also, I get a visit from my only nephew? I'd say today is not so bad."

Zuko smiled at his uncle and drank deeply. A stray flame flickered on the corner of the table, but neither man took notice. That flame was not a threat, it only added to the peace that was already surrounding them.


	4. Fall

_Air, the only invisible element_

_It moves with you, moves against you,_

_Surrounds you, leads you_

_Unpredictable in nature_

_But will always be there_

A gentle breeze moved about, rustling the trees, the fur on the playing animals, and caressed the face of a young Airbender as he glanced down at his surroundings. Aang stood atop one of the balconies of the Southern Air Temple, lost in thought. He came out here to watch his friends play with his invention, the air scooter, initially annoyed that they wouldn't let him join. But the longer he remained alone, the more he came to dwell on his new situation. He was the new Avatar.

He had only found out yesterday, but it did not seem to hit him until just now. He was going to become an important being, with the large task of bringing peace to the nation. But he was just a kid! That much responsibility should not have been given to a twelve year old. Or at least he thought so.

The monks did their best to explain what was going to happen. He was going to spend many years mastering the other elements, and sooner than he might think, have to restore peace to the nation. The monks sensed a war coming, which is why they had to tell him so early. But everything seemed fine. In fact, it was only a week ago that he had visited his friend Kuzon in the Fire Nation.

He should have been training, or at least doing something productive. But he did not feel up to it, he was too consumed with what lay in his future. Would he ever have a normal life? Have friends? Maybe even fall in love some day? Now he did not know, now nothing seemed right. He turned his attention back to the other kids below him, envied their freedom. Nothing important troubled their minds.

Eyeing the coming sunset, he turned away from them and headed back inside, a new plan forming in his mind.

Night fell quicker than he expected. Aang spent the majority of the time writing the perfect note to give to Monk Gyatso, his guardian. The note explained his departure, but not the location. He was not sure where he was going, but he figured the answer would come to him along the way. Rolling it up, he neatly placed it on his bed, a spot where Gyatso would find it, then left the room.

Aang wandered through the dark temple quietly, making his way to where the sky bison were kept. All were sleeping peacefully; he tried not to wake them as he moved through the large room, deciding on which one to take. When he got to the end, he noticed one was already awake. It was watching him, as if it already knew him, through and through. Aang stared at the bison, wondering why he felt such a connection to this animal. He had not had much contact with the bison before. But it didn't take long before he knew that this was the one. He unhooked the bison, and led him away from the room quietly. The bison made little noise, not disturbing the others.

The two of them stepped outside, and Aang climbed aboard, feeling drops atop his head. Raining? That was going to make his trip difficult. But he had to go. He could not stay here, and screw up the world.

Within moments, the two were souring through the skies, through the thick clouds. The rain was hitting him harder with every passing second, but Aang tried to stay focused. They had already left; they could not go back now. As they flew further, the wind only increased in intensity, blowing the rain harder in his direction, soaking his clothes. Aang heard the bison roar from discomfort, but still it tried, tried to keep them in flight.

It was getting worse, Aang could barely see, barely breathe properly, the wind was too strong. He could feel the bison struggling as well; he could feel them start to fall. Thunder crashed; Aang could barely hear himself scream over the noise of the harsh storm. He glanced around wildly, seeking any kind of land. He was far from the temple now, all that lay before him was the rolling waves of the ocean.

They were going down, fast now, as if neither of them no longer had control. He was not surprised by this, Aang could no longer tell which direction they were, or even how close they were to the water. Before he knew it, they had hit the surface, the cold rushed up to greet him, and the air around him disappeared. He tried to regain control, to stay above the surface, but the waves were too strong. Water was rapidly filling his eyes, his mouth, his ears, every opening, he could feel himself slipping away. Trying to focus, he brought his fists together, hoping it would work, hoping they would survive…

* * *

><p>The chirping of birds awoke him; the warmth from the sun brought him back to the present. But where was he?<p>

Aang opened his eyes gently, instantly seeing green trees and brightly colored flowers that surrounded him. Where was he? Did he die?

As he sat up, he couldn't help thinking it was the latter. He appeared to be on an island, one filled with life, since it was covered in plants, but no people seemed to be present. He glanced around quickly, suddenly remembering his bison. He relaxed as he spotted him, lying by the shore, snoozing peacefully.

Picking up his staff, he decided to explore the island, leaving the bison be. He did not want to disturb him, especially after their ordeal.

Aang couldn't help wondering how he ended up here. Did he wash up on a shore? He certainly didn't feel dead like his previous thought.

The island was beautiful, a monk's dream. It was a perfect place for meditating, peaceful, quiet. The storm seemed to have subsided; now the weather was absolutely perfect. He heard the waves roll gently in the ocean, felt the wind tickle his face. As he moved deeper through the island, it naturally became cooler and darker, but something else caught his attention other than the temperature change.

There seemed to be another person here, making his previous assumption of death incorrect. Aang pushed through the bushes, darted around the trees, using his element as his aid to get closer to the person. As he neared, the face became clearer on the body that was seated cross-legged on the forest floor.

"Gyatso!"

Aang's heart felt lifted at the sight of this familiar face, and he ran towards his mentor, just as the old man started to open his eyes.

"Aang, hello."

"What happened? Where are we?"

"Come, take a walk with me," Gyatso replied, ignoring the young airbender's question. Aang nodded and followed. The two walked along the soft earth of the island, each silent for the first few minutes.

"I know you're worried," Gyatso finally spoke, glancing over at Aang.

"Worried?" Aang questioned, though he already knew what Gyatso meant.

"About being the avatar."

"Oh." Aang agreed, hanging his head low.

"But there is more. Explain, child."

"Well…" Aang began, touching the soft leaves of the trees they passed. "I just want to be normal. And being the Avatar…I don't know if that will happen. Or if I can even do it."

"Your fears are natural, especially for your age. It is a shame we had to tell you so young. But, Aang," he stopped then, and placed his aged arms around his student. "You have the strength inside you to be the Avatar. Otherwise you would not have been granted such a responsibility. It will be a challenge, but not one that you cannot handle."

Aang looked up at the old man as he spoke, and when he was finished smiled slightly.

"As for being normal, you already are! Being the avatar gives you great power, but that doesn't mean you cannot have friends or a family. And you will." Gyatso returned Aang's smile.

"Thank you," Aang said, stepping away and bowing at his teacher. Gyatso bowed back, and both of them returned to walking through the silent trees.

"This island is so beautiful," Aang observed, walking a little bit ahead to feel more of the soft leaves. "You still haven't told me where we are. Are we near the air temple?"

When Aang received no reply, he turned, only to see that there was nobody behind him.

"Gyatso?" he called, hoping that he was just wandered somewhere in between the trees. But there was no answer, nothing but silence save for the soft wind blowing. Or it had started soft; the wind seemed to pick up within the next few moments, gaining speed and intensity, blowing at Aang fiercely.

Aang glanced back forward, but there was nothing there, nothing but darkness. It consumed him, until he saw nothing, only felt the wind…

* * *

><p>Aang jerked awake, shivering slightly. He turned to the source and discovered he had fallen asleep at his desk, with the window open. It was raining outside, and little drops of water hit his face. The wind was strong, blowing the small pebbles on the ground, and had extinguished the flame in his small candle. With a slight flick of his wrist, the window was closed, and another flame was ignited in the candle, brightening up the room once again.<p>

_What an odd dream…_he thought to himself, the images from it coming back to him.

The first half, he knew was a memory from years ago, but the last…what was that about? He glanced down at his work, some laws that needed to be passed for the fire nation. Such a boring activity, it was no wonder he had fallen asleep. For a brief moment, Aang wondered whether to call it a night or not. Deciding on the former, he sat up from his desk and left the room.

The southern air temple had been home to him pretty much since birth, but things haven't felt right since he moved back in here with Katara. It had been a whole month and still he felt restless, unable to sleep. He was surprised that sleep had come to him. Thinking about sleep, he entered the master bedroom, expecting to find his wife. After all, it had to be fairly late.

The bedroom was dark, but Aang spotted no sleeping silhouette present. Where was Katara? He frowned and retreated back into the hallway.

Suddenly the temple felt lonely and too large. He felt like he was right back on that island, when Gyatso had deserted him….no. In truth, he had deserted Gyatso, and all the other airbenders. The guilt still hung over his head like a dark cloud.

Aang passed by the large open windows, the chill from the storm outside made him shiver. Katara was still nowhere in sight. He felt himself growing colder, no longer from the harsh wind, but now from worry. He searched the rooms on this floor, growing more concerned with each vacancy. All he heard was the wind, all he felt was the wind…

It blew in one direction, moving the dust upon the floor, forming tiny clouds. Aang followed it, suddenly mesmerized by the sudden occurrence. He found himself on the floor below him, and as he rounded a corner, light spilled from the bottom of one of the closed doors. As he neared it, he heard small splashes of water. Certain that Katara was in there, he opened the door softly. Sure enough, he saw the figure of his wife bathing their newborn child.

Aang smiled as the child cooed and laughed as Katara amused him with her waterbending, forming different shapes and figures. He waited until the bath was finished and the child was wrapped up in a soft towel before approaching them.

"Aang, I didn't know you were awake."

Aang couldn't help noticing how radiant she looked. Still after all these years, he couldn't believe he was just as madly in love with her as he was when he was twelve.

"You either, I was looking for you," Aang replied. Though now that he found her, his worry evaporated.

"I'm sorry. I had to bathe the baby, and I didn't want to wake you. It had been so long since you had any rest."

Aang nodded in agreement and moved his gaze down to the tiny infant she held in her arms. Matching gray eyes stared back at him, and he cooed slightly as his father took him from his mother. He held the child, fascinated by its beauty, and how he felt about him, even though the child was only born a week ago.

"Have you thought of a name?" Aang asked his wife, who was smiling sweetly at the two of them.

"Yes, Tenzin. What do you think?"

"Perfect," Aang said smiling at his son, amusing him. "Tenzin."

Katara wrapped her arms around him, making him melt inwardly at her touch. And now, at the oddest of times, he felt _right_.

The dream was odd, but it made sense to him now. He had been feeling uncomfortable living in a place he had once deserted so long ago. But Gyatso was right; he had stopped the war, and he did have friends and now, a family. His mentor was gone now, but would always be with him, always be guiding him. He gazed at his young son, feeling nothing but happiness.

"I will never desert you," he whispered to Tenzin, and watched as the infant slowly closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

"Born in the fall," Katara said softly. "An airbender."

Aang nodded, and kissed his wife gently on the lips. With another slight flick of his wrist, Aang extinguished the candle, and led his family down the hallway, with the gentle breeze following, as it will always do.


End file.
